Surfacing
by Adia3
Summary: Grace discovers a part of her past in a book store. GD pairing.
1. Surfacing

Standard Disclaimer: All characters belong to the creators of O&A Note: A great big huge THANK YOU goes out to Grace_Dimitri_fan who so graciously spent a lot of time and energy editing this chapter and greatly helped it to become what it is now. Rating: G Pairing: Grace/Dimitri  
  
Surfacing by Adia (Chapter One)  
  
Many times Grace had stood like this in the cozy bookstore on the corner. She would pick up the book, the same book everytime, and she would press it open to the same page. She would stand close to the shelf, her eyes would meet the page and she would read the line, "How petty and deceptive were all those things that had kept us from loving one another," Tears would instinctively form in her eyes and when she would close them, he would come to her.  
  
For a moment she could hear him, she could feel him. He would be standing behind her, his body so close to hers. She would listen to the smoothness of his voice as his words would fill her, "Be in a state of grace..." he would whisper softly, "You are incredible." She was suddenly pulled back into the memory of what it had been like to be with him, what his eyes told her when his words didn't. Memories of settling for gentle pats on the shoulder and subtle touches when what she wanted was beyond. The way his lips had tasted on hers. He was so remarkably familiar to her.  
  
Opening her eyes she placed the book back on the shelf softly and stepped back. Pulling herself away and into reality she moved slowly down the rest of the isle of books to the D's. Though she had searched the same space everytime when she would visit this bookstore, over the last two years she had never found, "Accidentally On Purpose." But it didn't stop her eyes from falling to the spot in the shelf between two books where his would have been. Instead she had found, months ago, a collection of poetry she had enjoyed reading by the author, Daniel Dailey. His style had drawn her in, clear but mysterious all the same. She adored reading his poetry and had been keeping an eye out for any new collections though she knew the author himself was over 90 years old and would more than likely not be putting out a new collection, she didn't mind checking every once in a while.  
  
She spotted a new book sitting next to one of the Dailey collections she already owned. Grace lifted the book from it's place on the shelf. The title stood out and intrigued her, "Saved By Grace." Her eyes fell to the author's name at the bottom of the novel, "A.D. Dailey". She shrugged as she opened up the front cover, it was worth looking over. She had been searching for something to read anyhow. She read the summary of the book on the inside of the dust cover.  
  
It was a story about a man who was essentially saved by the woman who loved him, believed in him, inspired him. When he was on the edge she had brought him back. The summary indicated that the novel had a surprise ending, but Grace had no idea what it was. She was intrigued though and brushed passed the title page to read the first chapter, she was always anxious to see the writer's style which would be the judge of whether she wanted to invest time in reading the novel. She opened to the dedication and read the words, "To the girl with the loneliest eyes."  
  
Grace stared at the words on the page. Her hands began to tremble and she dropped the book. Immediately her heart began to pound and she could feel her blood rushing through her arms. She stared at the book on the floor. She flew to her knees to pick it back up and once she retrieved it she leaned against the shelf. She stared at the words on the page. It couldn't be a coincidence. Those words were as carefully chosen as they had been when August had given her the book. There could be no one else who would write that. It had to be him.  
  
As though the world was spinning in slow motion she closed the cover of the book and held it to her. She closed her eyes. Remembering him. There had been so much more she had wanted to tell him that last day in his classroom. There had been so many times when she had driven by his house. One rainy night later that Spring she had almost gotten out of the car and walked to his door. But she couldn't let herself do it.  
  
She wasn't afraid. She knew that the back entrance would be unlocked and there was nothing stopping her from walking in the open door that led into his kitchen. He would let her in, she knew that. But instead she sat and wept as the rain fell around her. It was enough just to be near him this once, just outside his home. It was just as she had told her mother weeks before, she didn't need to be protected from him, in fact, she had always felt more protected by him. He encouraged her and sometimes he pushed her for her best, but he'd had faith in her. More than anyone had ever before. And that's what mattered. He believed in her... he understood her.  
  
It hadn't been long after that night when she had moved with her family to Australia. Reluctantly leaving him behind. She had hoped to see him even just once before she left. She hoped to run into him at the grocery store, the movie theater they had been to, a restaurant. Anywhere. And she thought she had seen him one night just before she had left in the window of a bookstore but by the time she was inside he was gone. She wasn't sure after that if he had actually been there or if it had been her imagination. She had wanted to see him so badly that she was afraid she had simply been seeing things.  
  
There was a part of her that wanted to say good-bye to him but there was also a part that never wanted to close that chapter of her life. She didn't want to let him go and if she did see him, speak to him before she left, it would feel too much like a formal good-bye. It would be too much like she was closing the door to him that she wanted to leave open, doing that would give her hope. If she had said good-bye to him then it would have been as though she were leaving him behind, and she had no intention of that.  
  
It had been only a few months after she had settled in Australia when she had heard that Mr. Dimitri had moved out of town. The news had come from Katie in a letter to Jessie catching her up on the latest news. Jessie had begun to respect and understand the depth of feeling that Grace had for August. Especially after they had talked in Eli's room the afternoon before Mr. Dimitri's suspension hearing. In confidence, Grace would sometimes quietly share her thoughts of him with Jessie. Their relationship had become strengthened the more they depended on eachother in Australia. Jessie knew that Grace would have wanted to know about him and she had shared the news and offered her understanding to Grace.  
  
The news hadn't surprised Grace as much as she expected. She knew August and she knew he wouldn't want to stay in the town if he wasn't going to be teaching. In fact, Grace had been surprised that he had stayed as long as he had. The reaction to his suspension had not been positive and Grace knew he had to live somewhere that would be comfortable for him. Somewhere that would inspire him. She knew he had wanted to write, to discover that love again and he belonged in a place where he could write without distraction. She looked at the address of the publishing firm, New York, and wondered if that had been where he had settled.  
  
There had been so much she had wondered about him. If he had forgotten about her. There were moments when she wondered if he would ever think of her in all those times she thought of him. But now, as she held the book in her hands and stared at the title, she knew he must have thought of her. Even if only in the smallest of ways. She opened the book once more and touched the words on the dedication page as if she were touching a part of him. Perhaps within the book she would finally find the answers to all the questions she had. All that she had been holding onto so tightly for so long.  
  
Keeping the book tightly in her hands she made her way to the cashier desk and purchased the novel. 


	2. The Grace of My Heart

Many appologies for the delay in the posting of this second chapter and many more thank you's to all of you for your previous feedback and inspiration :)  
  
Surfacing (Chapter Two) The Grace of My Heart  
  
~o0o~  
  
August lay in bed with the sheets pulled up only to his waist. The breeze flowing in through the open window in his bedroom brushed across his chest. Summer was just beginning and the weather was perfect for lounging around. He was still getting used to not working and living in his new house in upstate New York. There were boxes still piled in corners but he felt content. The mornings were always his favorite, waking up in bed to the scent of lilac floating on the air surrounding him would always bring back memories.  
  
She always had the scent of lilac's on her hair and on her neck. The fragrance brought to mind nights of watching her with her hands in a sink full of foaming bubbles, her back to him, her hair pulled up and that beautiful neck of hers. He would come up from behind and subtly place both his hands on her upper arms. He would peek over her shoulder and would turn his head to tell her something when he would catch her scent. Wanting then nothing more than to graze his lips upon that smooth skin just below her ear and kiss his way down the back of her neck to the spot between her shoulder blades.  
  
Instead he would close his eyes briefly and take a full breath of her quickly before too much was let on and would say as usual, "You know, you don't have to do that." She would smile and spin around to face him, "I know. I just want to. I don't want to leave you..." her voice would trail off for a split second before she would recover quickly, "with all these dishes here." Her smile would broaden and her cheeks would begin to flush as she shrugged slightly. He would pick up on the small cue but pretend he hadn't, believing that it would be best for both of them, especially Grace. If this continued who knew what consequences would follow, not that she wouldn't be worth it.  
  
After rinsing the last cup with hot water and passing it off to August while he dried it with a towel Grace would slip her hands out of the soapy water and gently fling the left over bubbles on her wrinkled fingers back into the sink. But one evening she pulled her hands out only to catch August by flinging them at him as he turned to hand her the towel, one step out of their ordinary routine. August froze, looking down at the suds on his shirt and then looked back up at her in an expression of mock surprise. Grace would daringly raise an eyebrow and he would say, "Grace, you know that's not very nice." He remembered the way her voice sounded as she laughed out her response, "I couldn't help it, you were asking for it." August looked even more shocked, "Oh really?" Grace grinned taking the towel and wiping her hands on it as he held the edge, back in step with their routine.  
  
August challenged her, "Well then, I'll just have to do something about this won't I?" Grace noted the look in his eye, devious, she dropped the towel and slowly started backing away. She wasn't fast enough to escape as he leaned passed her and scooped up a handful of bubbles and flung them at her before she could turn her back to him. The suds hitting the side of her arm and dripping down her sleeve she gasped, "I didn't think you'd do that!" She giggled and scooped up her own handful of bubbles and launched them at him, missing. "You underestimate me, fair Grace." He smiled and spoke softly. They were both by the sink now and he drew closer to her. This time she didn't back away as he put his hand back in the sudsy water, instead she dared him further, "You wouldn't." This time his eyebrow arched, "Expect the unexpected, I always say," he whispered out. She crept forward closing the space between them. Her expression was challenging and she kept her eyes locked on his as she felt his arm brush passed hers coming out of the water.  
  
Very slowly he raised his hand. His palm empty but a quarter sized amount of suds on his index finger. He kept her eyes as he raised his finger to the tip of her nose and gently marked it with bubbles. Suddenly her eyes seemed darker, richer to August. He could not help it when his eyes slipped from hers and fell to her lips, warmly red, he noticed. It would have been so simple, he knew and it seemed so natural to be with her. Her lips parted and August stared, transfixed and captivated. But as her tongue slipped out and she licked her own lips something inside him burst and he held no control over the kind of wave that was washing over him. Building in his pulse points and spreading forth just under his skin, he knew he had to break away from her. He knew he didn't have long before he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her. Though he knew she wouldn't object, he couldn't allow it. Not because he didn't want to and not so much because he feared his job would be threatened but more because he felt he didn't deserve her.  
  
Still, he drew himself back into the realm of reality by smiling at her and chuckling softly, "You know you have soap on your nose." Grace smiled back and silently touched nose, not quite removing all the suds. Without thinking he reached out with the corner of the dish towel and dabbed the rest of the soap off her nose. She must have realized the impossibility of the situation herself because she hadn't pressed any further that night. Just before she left he mentioned that for one night the theater on the other side of town would be playing Roshamon and suggested that she and a handful of other students see it next week. He remembered the way her face brightened and she agreed happily before gathering her things and leaving through the back door.  
  
He smiled to himself now, remembering the way she would look back at him as she closed the outer door. Though the bounce in his step seemed a bit unmerited he couldn't stop himself from being pleased that the evening, despite it's limitations, had been so enjoyable. It seemed as though there were thousands of memories just like that one that came to him that morning. He couldn't escape them and finally gave into the temptation of containing them on paper.  
  
Moving back to New York hadn't been as easy as he had expected. He missed the town he had grown to love and it held so many memories that he wanted to keep but he knew that he couldn't let her go until he moved on himself. She had already left and he knew it was probably for the best, for her. So he found a small house in upstate New York, close to his grandfather's home. Though he tried to convince himself otherwise the lilac tree outside had been a deciding factor in the purchase of the home. The notion of waking in the morning to the one scent that reminded him of her was too appealing to pass on. Somehow she had followed him there despite his efforts and he began to feel that perhaps the only way to do justice to the past months would be to write them down.  
  
At first it was a freeing experience and eventually developed into much more. She inspired a story line too long to be captured in lines of poetry. The story was too complex and rich to be easily explained. An understanding couldn't be found in a page or two. No, it had taken more than four hundred.  
  
By the end of the next Spring the book was already in publication. Writing had kept him through the holiday season and heeding writing advice from his grandfather, the poet Daniel Dailey, had helped him capture into words what he though had been impossible. He only wondered now what the next few months would bring. He hadn't been expecting the reception the book had received and was a bit shy of it, knowing that the truth lie just under the surface. However, he was more concerned with the opinion of the one referenced in his dedication. Had it been too obvious? He knew the lead characters name and the title had been a bit on the nose but he couldn't help himself from wanting her to know, if she ever picked the book up, that she had left an impression on him.  
  
It had been a year since they had spoke to one another. He could have sworn he had seen her reflection once in the window of a local bookstore but being as he had been seeing her reflection in nearly everything lately he didn't look twice and filed through the checkout line. Maybe he had been wanting to see her so badly that he had been imagining things but in the back of his heart he knew that their last time speaking with eachother was the best parting he could have hope for within the confines of reality. He had meant it when he told her that she would find her ending.  
  
He was aware that for her best interests that ending might not include him. She was youthful and he felt a sense of responsibility that he should let her go and find the world for herself. In a way he felt unworthy of her adoration. As he felt with his poems, they really weren't worth looking at because he felt she deserved only the best. She was honest, so full of potential, and not to say that he wasn't, but he never felt worthy of her and he certainly didn't want to stop her from achieving her full ability. She was so full of promise and part of him didn't want to get in the way but another part could barely handle the thought of being separated from her.  
  
It was the hardest choice he had ever made, to leave it all behind, and it had backfired in a way. He hadn't escaped her even when he had written all of his feelings onto the page. All that was left now was to sit back and see where life would carry him. He had started a book signing tour by the middle of summer and offers still came in to sign at bookstores throughout the United States. The book had been especially well received overseas and that tour was to begin by mid fall.  
  
He had received a request from a small bookstore in the town he had just moved from but knew that he had no time to schedule it in as he was already packing for his tour overseas that would land him eventually in Australia. He knew Grace had moved to Melbourne, her mother had said as much over the airwaves as she gave her departure from the radio station. He couldn't stop himself from contemplating what it might be like to meet with her again as the leaves on the trees outside began to tumble to the earth and the scent of lilac's was yet more than another season away.  
  
~o0o~ 


	3. Fluke

Surfacing Chapter 3 by Adia ~o0o~  
  
Grace drove back from the bookstore in the city to her apartment on the outskirts of town. She was less than a mile away from her family but had needed that space. At nineteen she had been attending the University for a year and wanted to know who she was on her own. She had turned out to be quite the intelligent and capable woman.  
  
She had indeed kept him with her over the last two years. It showed in her selection of books that lined the shelves on her walls. It showed in the manuscripts and pages of poetry that covered her writing desk in the breakfast nook. It showed in her writing, in the characters that appeared in her stories. It showed in the early mornings and late evenings when she spent her time daydreaming. She didn't have to share him with anyone then. She didn't have to worry about it being wrong. All she had to think of was him.  
  
She drove up the drive and unlocked the door to her tiny rented one bedroom. It was a beautifully warm day and the sun blew in with the breeze through the open windows in the living room and kitchen, passed the sheer white drapes that framed the windows. The air always smelled sweet and she loved to fill her lungs with its scent. She fell onto the loveseat under the window in the living room and pulled her legs up under her as she settled in and opened the book.  
  
Every word amazed her as the story unfolded. By night fall she had finished the entire novel. She was surprised she had finished it so fast but she couldn't be torn away from it. Even when the phone would ring she let the machine get it and kept reading straight through. The world could wait while she was catching up with a man she had missed. By the time she finished the book she was sure that indeed the AD of AD Dailey stood for August Dimitri. There could be no doubting it especially since there was so much of him in the story, so much of herself in the story.  
  
She wondered why he hadn't used his real name. Hadn't he been the one who had said that baring your soul, being honest, was really the only thing in this world worth doing? Indeed he had, but she could also understand that baring one's soul, especially on such a personal topic when telling an autobiographical story in the third person, could be too daring and definitely intimidating. She wasn't sure she would even be able to do that.  
  
Still there was no denying that the novel had come from him. The stories in it, the words that filled each chapter, the story-line that entranced the reader followed much too closely to their own story for it not to be him. Some times it seemed as though the pages were filled with snapshots of them, little moments captured, almost down to the very same words. Conversations in his car, in the kitchen, the woman was younger, though not as young as she had been then. The ending had surprised her just as the review had said it would.  
  
In the end of the novel, after this enchanting woman had pulled him out of his fear and helped him to achieve what he had wanted the reader finds that the woman had died years before and it had been his memory of her that had kept him going. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered his own words to her, "This isn't an ending." After reading the book she knew now that there hadn't been an ending to their own story.  
  
She was intrigued with the idea of the book. Why had the Grace character, for all intents and purposes her character, died in the end? Is that how he felt when they were forced apart? Any doubt she had that he hadn't returned her feelings had been extinguished with his written words. She knew that night when she kissed him in his kitchen that he felt the same. She remembered looking into his eyes and watching them drift down to her lips and back to her eyes. She hadn't been able to resist him then, he had been the one who had encouraged her to live everything in honesty and that's exactly what she had done. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she hadn't taken the opportunity.  
  
She remembered how it felt when their lips met, when she was on her toes and she remembered how it felt to hold onto his shoulders, the only thing keeping her balanced. Then it happened, she felt his lips pressing against hers and keeping with her as she came back down on her feet. He followed her and began to deepen it for a moment. And in that moment she felt her head spin and her hands began to tremble more than ever before. She was surprised at the hunger she felt behind his lips. He stole her breath with the surprise of discovering her feelings we not at all one-sided.  
  
She hadn't wanted to let go but knew she had no other choice. She remembered slowly parting her lips from his, tilting her chin up and breaking the seal that had formed. If she closed her eyes tightly enough she could still hear the sound his lips made against hers as she so reluctantly pulled back. Hovering there for a moment after that she could feel his lips whisper over hers just then. Settling back with her feet flat on the ground she noticed just how his body had moved forward and had been drawn into her. He was leaned down to her and he had followed her there. No doubt wanting.  
  
She remembered the look on his face when she finally opened her eyes. He hadn't looked at her with any trace of regret, except perhaps a mirror of her own regret that nothing further could happen that night. He looked as amazed as she had, entranced. She remembered his breath falling in quiet gasps when their lips parted. In the silence that surrounded them she could swear she had heard his heart beating just as fast and loudly as her own. As his lips curled into a soft smile and his eyes closed as he re-lived the moment, he looked as though he were in heaven. She could still hear the soft intelligible sounds coming from him as he sighed heavily and opened his eyes to her and he let out an unsteady breath. One that they had been holding it in for far too long.  
  
The moment had been stored away in both of them. No one had made any mention of it, not to eachother and not during the meeting. Some things were better left unsaid because there were times in life that were simply too beautiful, too sacred to talk about. This had been one of those moments. And this way, it would always be theirs. Alone.  
  
Her eyes opened wide as she was startled out of her reminiscence. The doorbell was repeating its ringing. She bounced off the sofa and placed the novel down on the coffee table before answering the door.  
  
"What took you so long? I called earlier and you never picked up. Mom wants you to come over and help her wrap some presents." Zoe made her way through the open door and made herself comfortable, plopping down on the sofa. Grace was still having a hard time preparing for Christmas in the middle of summer. Though she had been in Melbourne now for nearly three years it was still awkward to get used to having her traditional holidays she had grown up with like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years with the summer weather so warm. It just seemed out of place to her, as out of place as she had felt when she had first moved there.  
  
Zoe picked the book up off the table, "Interesting title choice. Did you buy this just because it has your name on it?" She flipped through the pages.  
  
Grace snatched it from her sister's hands, "No. I just thought it would be fun to read." She placed the book on top of several other books that lined her shelves, "So how many packages do we have left to wrap?"  
  
"Well, Mom is doing all of Rick's packages now since he's not home and she just finished up mailing the packages to Judy and Dad from us. Where did you find that sweater for Dad anyway?" Zoe absently dangled her bracelet.  
  
Grace grabbed her keys and walked toward the door, "I found it at the mall. Why?"  
  
Zoe hopped up off the sofa and headed out the open door, "No reason."  
  
"Uh-huh. Right." Grace teased as she locked the door behind her and smiled at her little sister. Zoe had been harboring a crush on a boy from school who had been paying a lot of attention to her lately and Grace knew she had been thinking of getting him something for Christmas. Talking to Zoe she would absolutely deny that he was her boyfriend but talking to Lily, Grace found that the boy was very fond of Zoe and had even given her the bracelet that dangled from her wrist.  
  
If only life were as simply now as it had been at Zoe's age. Feelings were much clearer and easier to understand. Nothing was difficult or confusing. Emotions were not as complicated as they were now. Like or dislike, the layers that lie in-between had not yet been discovered. Nothing seemed impossible and at that age want was not as hollowing an emotion as it was now. Back then Grace didn't have to worry about not having what she wanted but now it was all she could think about.  
  
The house was cool and the ceiling fans hummed as the warm light from outside shone in through the windows. It was beautiful inside her mother's house with the Christmas tree standing at the edge of the living room wrapped in lights. Lily fixed Grace a glass of milk and a slice of Pumpkin pie left over from their "American Thanksgiving in Summer." Some family traditions were too strong to break.  
  
"Have you even had anything to eat all day?" Lily asked Grace worriedly.  
  
Grace nodded between bites, "Yeah Mom, don't worry, I'm doing fine."  
  
Lily had a tendency to worry about Grace now that she was on her own and Grace knew that her mother was simply concerned about her because she loved her not because she thought Grace incapable of taking care of herself, although sometimes it seemed that way.  
  
"Judy sent you a letter a couple of weeks ago, we forgot to pass it along to you, she keeps forgetting your new address." Lily handed Grace the envelope and Grace tore at the corner of it, removing the letter from inside.  
  
There was a long letter with a pale yellow flyer attached to it. She scanned the letter not picking up any words before flipping to the flyer and reading the heading, "Book Signing Schedule for: AD Dailey." Grace's heart began to pound and she folded the letter and the flyer up quickly and clumsily tucked it back into the envelope.  
  
Lily's attention was caught by the flushed look on Grace's face, "What wrong honey?"  
  
Grace put on a smile and tried to calm her nerves knowing that she really had nothing to hide, "Uh, nothing. I just thought I'd save the letter till I get home. I mean, since I'm here I want to spend my time with you guys." She took a sip of her milk and folded the envelope in half and placed it in her back pocket then beamed back at her mother, "So, how many more gifts do you need help wrapping?"  
  
Successfully changing the subject Lily went on with her business of getting all the holiday preparations in order. Grace stayed to help and to share dinner with the family before going back to her apartment for the night. In a way she had been longing for nothing more than to be back in her apartment, for the privacy to be able to read the letter from her Aunt without looking over her shoulder. Where she could react in anyway she wanted without having to hide anything. She wanted to be honest with herself. The flyer included with the letter had been eating her alive, gnawing at her imagination from the moment she saw it. She didn't know what to make of it and was scared to think of the implications that came along with it.  
  
Luckily the drive home was short and she was inside her apartment on the sofa before she opened the envelope again. She placed the envelope on the edge of the coffee table and stared at the folded letter in her hands for a moment before lifting it open. Her eyes skimmed over the usual greeting from her aunt and the first couple of paragraphs until she caught the sentence starting with, "Concerning the flyer I've enclosed..." Her heart beat began to speed and she was gripped to the letter. She nearly couldn't believe the words she read.  
  
Judy began to explain that several months ago she had gotten a new shipment of books into Booklovers. As she was shelving some of them she noticed one titled, "Saved By Grace" written by an unknown author, his first novel, AD Dailey. She had heard that it was receiving rave reviews and an impulse had made her set a copy aside to read in the back room. When she had finished reading the novel she loved it so much that she insisted on inviting the author to Booklovers for a book signing. When she got the reply from the author she found that he had been booked for the next few months due to a tour over seas and that it might be a while before he could give a signing at her store, but would still love to do so. Enclosed with the letter regarding the signing at her store was a flyer of the tour dates that he had booked so far and at the bottom right edge of the page there was a photo of the author with his pen name under it.  
  
Judy went on to explain that something had sparked her memory. She knew she had seen him before but couldn't place it. Still it persisted and finally the memory came to her of the play that Grace and Jessie had been in when they had been in high school. He had been the director and she remembered seeing him then but she knew his name had not been Dailey. It had been Dimitri, she remembered Grace speaking of him, highly of him and then she remembered Lily and all that had happened between him and her niece before they had moved. It had been hard talking to Lily back then about it with an objective point of view but she had always believed that Grace was an adult, a brilliant young woman who was strong and capable of making her own decisions. She had trusted her and Judy, herself knew how precious it was to be loved by someone you admired, especially when you needed it the most.  
  
After discovering that she had more of a connection to the author than she had ever expected she wrote him back again. This time to thank him for his consideration and to keep Booklovers in mind when his schedule freed. She had wanted to mention something about Grace but didn't know how to or if it were even her place. Judy knew that his novel had been receiving overwhelming positive response so when she found that he would be doing several signings in Australia she wasn't as surprised as she would have been with other first time authors. She had to admit his novel was compelling and the title, of course, now begged the question of how much of it had been inspired by her own niece.  
  
Still, she felt that the least she could do was share the information with Grace. The letter read simply, "I thought you should know." This would give her the chance to decide for herself if she wanted to see August again. Judy suggested in her letter that perhaps Grace could come to one of his signings but also reminded her that it was purely her own choice. August would have no idea that Judy Brooks was any relation to Grace Manning and so it would be all Grace's choice. "It's all up to you," her aunt left the subject at that and closed the letter.  
  
Grace sat staring at the flyer in amazement. She knew that her Aunt had been in some ways sympathetic about her feelings toward August but she had never discussed them in depth with her. But then again, she and Judy were a lot alike and obviously Judy understood that. Grace's eyes began to flood with tears. It was a wonder to her now why she felt this strong emotion come over her, it wasn't sadness. Her tears were not as those she had cried when she had left August, instead they were of an incredible happiness. An overwhelming sense of fortune for being given this second chance. Her hands were trembling as she held the paper and her lips turned in a smile that spread across her face. Finally, the truth was unbound after being held in all these years as she decided that she would in fact be daring enough to take it, this second chance she had been given.  
  
~o0o~ 


	4. The Memphis Belle

I hope you'll forgive this brief departure from the usual Grace/Dimitri. It still centers on Grace/Dimitri but it's not the usual, trust me though it will fit with the rest of the story, it's been planned out but I just hope none of you will hate me too much for varying from course - I promise they will meet soon!! :) :) Hope you enjoy and again thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback - I love it! And thanks also for being so patient, I know it may seem like forever between chapters. :) Thanks again everyone!  
  
Surfacing Chapter 4 by Adia  
  
~o0o~  
  
Over the Thanksgiving weekend August had shared dinner with his grandfather and the two conversed openly. He placed a blanket over his grandfather's lap to keep his legs warm and posed the question as they sat by the fireplace, "What if what we want, what will make us happiest, is wrong and you know it?" August knew that seeing Grace now wouldn't be wrong in the sense that he was no longer her teacher and she was now a legal adult, still he worried most that he would be disturbing Grace's new life if he were to ever meet with her again. Inside he worried that maybe she was better without him.  
  
"Who determines what is right and what is wrong?" Daniel let the words hang in the air for a moment, "If you love one another, August, it isn't wrong. Nothing else matters."  
  
After a silence Daniel asked, "Does she love you August?" He looked into his grandson's eyes searching to see the truth.  
  
August's eyes had not betrayed him as he answered, "Yes. She had loved me at one point."  
  
"But does she love you now?"  
  
"Possibly." August nodded.  
  
Daniel took his grandson's hand, "Then that is it. She should be yours and nothing should stop the two of you from being happy, together."  
  
"It isn't that easy," August shook his head in sad frustration, "I can't just... it's more complicated than it was what you met grandmother."  
  
Daniel tilted his head to the side and looked August straight in the eyes, "You think it was easier then?"  
  
August's eyes dropped to the floor and his shoulders fell as he quietly sighed, "Yes."  
  
Shaking his head, Daniel began, "It wasn't. It wasn't easy at all. It was one of the biggest challenges of our lives." his voice trailed off as he looked out the window and his voice whispered, "but I loved your grandmother. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I couldn't live without her."  
  
August admired the way that his grandfather regarded his wife of more than sixty years. Daniel's eyes were always glassed when he thought of her and his lips turned up in a smile at the edges. August could tell that behind those blue eyes were thousands of photographic memories of his grandmother. He could tell how badly his grandfather had missed her over the years since she had passed away.  
  
Daniel closed his eyes but not before telling August, "Following our hearts was hard for your grandmother and I," he smiled, "but it was all worth it, August." His voice paused as he spoke, "She was worth it."  
  
Daniel had closed his eyes and within a few moments August pulled the blanket up over his grandfather as he slept by the fireplace. Daniel had drifted off to sleep while August went through pictures stored in old albums. The pages were black and the photo edges were curled and yellowed but each spoke to him. His grandfather had fought in World War II in the Air Force. It was hard for him to picture his grandfather in a war when the only thing he had ever wanted to shoot, was a camera.  
  
August had known the story of how his grandparents had met and married. But maybe he hadn't known the full truth. He looked over at his grandfather sleeping by the fire and wondered what he must have been dreaming about. He closed his eyes and could feel the heat of the fire dance over him as he thought of the possibility of seeing Grace again after all this time. A smile spread across his face that he couldn't help forming. He turned the page and stared at the photo of his grandfather and grandmother holding hands in front of a small dance hall in Boston where they had met. He remembered his grandfather telling him that story from the time he was only up to Daniel's knee.  
  
It was the winter of 1945 and Daniel had come home from the war to a job at the Boston Tribune that had been waiting for him since he had graduated at the top of his class at the University. He was a starting news reporter and was having a hard time reporting on a war he had just come home from. It was no secret that he had been a tad anxious about leaving the Air Force after his last run in the Memphis Belle, which story he almost did not live to tell. The toll of what he had seen in the war was starting to show on him and he was losing faith in the goodness of the world.  
  
He had been raised in a very Irish family who were just as patriotic to the United States as they were Irish. That sense of pride in country had been passed along so strongly that Danny had felt the need to volunteer the day after he graduated. What part of the military to join had never been a question. As far back into his teens as he could remember he had been taking photos of planes and wanting to be around them. He had never had the drive to want to fly them he was simply pleased to be near them. He loved the sensation of flying above the clouds, gliding along in the air, up above it all and almost away from the world in a sense. Out of the world and looking down upon it was pure poetry to Daniel. The escape, the beauty, it all lent itself to an overwhelming feeling of freedom. And it appealed to Danny as much as photography and the written word had. It was as much a part of him as breathing.  
  
Danny had grown quite close to some of the men he served with and often wondered what their lives were like now. He had photos of them that he kept to remind himself of those years. His brothers. Being the youngest of five with all sisters had left him with a need for brotherhood and he kept the ties to those he had served with. He had kept frequent contact with Clay and Virg and Rascal though he was afraid he would never be able to see any of his crewmates ever again. Clay was in the process of signing a record contract while Virg was putting his dreams of a chain of hamburger joints underway and Rascal was skirt-chasing as usual.  
  
They had gone out to watch Clay perform at a small dance hall one night when their schedules had allowed them to reunite in Boston. Rascal couldn't have been happier. Clay would be performing with another band entertaining a hall full of college students. College girls was all Rascal had heard before he tore off into the crowd.  
  
Virg grabbed the hand of a young woman and they danced while Danny watched the crowd enjoying Clay's music. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a fair haired women go out the back door alone. As Clay finished up his set he grinned at Danny and Virg, "Have you two met my baby yet?"  
  
They shook their heads and Clay hitched his chin toward the back exit. Virg's eyes grew large as Clay led the way out to the parking lot where a jet black brand new 1945 convertible sat. The first that either of them had seen in person. They were both very impressed as Clay started the engine up and showed off the interior, "It's a straight six boys."  
  
Danny nodded, "Nice." Virg second the reaction and smoothed his hand over the hood. Danny's eyes were drawn back toward the door they had just come through leading out of the dance hall. A little way down from the door was a bench that sat under a lamp attached to the side of the old wooden building. Danny could barely make her out in the shadow but it seemed as though that same honey-haired woman he had seen only moments before was now sitting there, reading.  
  
Clay grinned with pride as he watched Virg admire his new car and asked his buddies, "You guys wanna take a spin?"  
  
Virg's eyes lit up and he hoped into the car quick as lightening. Danny hesitated as he turned his attention back to Clay and the car, "You know," he paused and looked back quickly then faced Clay again, "I think I'll take a rain check on that."  
  
Clay looked passed Danny and caught sight of the woman sitting by the back enterance to the dance hall and smiled, "You bet." He winked at Danny, hoped back into the car and revved his engine on the way out of the parking lot.  
  
Danny quietly made his way over to the girl who had her nose in a book. He smoothed his short red hair back with his side part and cleared his throat very lightly. Her attention had not been broken. As he came closer to her he saw that as she sat on the bench under the lamp that she had been reading a collection of Yeats. His favorite. Danny quietly approached her and whispered softly, "I particularly enjoyed 'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death'."  
  
The woman looked up from her book a bit surprised but smiled warmly, "Oh. Me too..." she hesitated momentarily and Danny opened his mouth to introduce himself when she continued, "I really enjoyed the way he captures the contradiction of not hating those we fight against and the way that the narrators own fears are real and complex and that his youth... he's not ready, you can tell that maybe he even thinks it might be a mistake that he is too late to correct and the circumstances - so unknown and beyond his control!" Her voice held a spark and enthusiasm though she spoke quietly, "And his choice of words, he seems to say so much in so few words, he can sum up emotions that are so ambiguous and hard to define and he can make them so clear and beautiful..." Her face had lit up and her voice carried exuberance but she trailed off suddenly and lowered her gaze from Danny's eyes to the page, looking as though she felt she had said too much.  
  
"No, please, don't stop." Danny begged her as he listened to her captivated. He hung on her every word.  
  
A strand of her light hair fell in front of her eyes as she raised her head back up to look at him. Their eyes met, "You don't think talking about Yeats is boring?" she asked cautiously.  
  
Danny shook his head and frowned momentarily before smiling, "No, not at all."  
  
She smiled back to him, "I only ask that because I have yet to find anyone who is interested in discussing Yeats' work outside of a purely academic environment."  
  
"I think about his poetry all the time," Danny encouraged her to continue, "I would love to hear your thoughts on some of his other pieces. Which is your favorite?"  
  
The woman looked thoroughly astonished. Surprised, she continued to converse with him. Over the matter of an hour the two had developed such a connection that they nearly finished eachothers sentences and the hour had passed in what had seemed like only a matter of a few minutes. He felt drawn to her in a way he had never felt before. He suddenly felt like she was air and he couldn't breath without her, as though he had known her across a million lifetimes.  
  
When Clay and Virg had returned Virg had jumped out of the car exclaiming, "Man, that baby sure sails!"  
  
Clay laughed and his teeth shone in a grin, "I let him take her for a spin."  
  
Daniel hadn't taken his eyes off of her and she hadn't broken his gaze either. It was as though they were the only two in the world. Invisible together.  
  
Virg skipped over to them, like a kid on top of the world, "Hey Danny, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?"  
  
Danny smiled at her and then back up to Virg and Clay, "Sure." He turned back to the woman and his eyes looked at hers questioningly.  
  
She held his eyes with her own blue and whispered directly to him, "I'm Hannah."  
  
According to Daniel she had been the most amazing woman and he couldn't stop himself from marrying her right then. Rarely did he ever go into further detail about their short courtship aside from the fact she had attended college which was rare for a women then and he had always used that to encourage his children and grandchildren to preserver with their education. That was where August's own respect and love for education had come from.  
  
Up until now he had forgotten that poetry had been what his grandparents had first connected on. He couldn't help but notice the reflection of that with Grace in his own life. She was brilliant, incredibly intelligent and full of so much heart, so much honesty that he knew she would be perfect for the written word, to capture a story and put it on paper and yet captivate a reader and pull them in so much that they see themselves in it, living it. She had a way of conveying to people emotions that there were no words for and he had envied that believing that his own poetry had been a artists pale sketch in charcoal compared to her beautiful vibrant oil painting.  
  
August dreamily set the photo book down and rose to the kitchen. He began to put the rest of their Thanksgiving leftovers away and thought of how lonely Thanksgivings had been for his grandfather since his grandmother had passed away, despite the pain he hoped to find something like that himself one day. His parents and his sister and her family had joined the for the holiday and had left the rest of the food for him. August knew that with his grandfather's fading health there may not be another Thanksgiving like this and he wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. In a sense, he had always been his greatest friend. He just wasn't sure he was ready for him to go yet.  
  
August cleared the dishes from the washer and placed them back into the cabinet. Turning off the light he pulled his coat from the rack by the door. He took his car keys from his pocket and reached for the door. His hand rested on the knob as he thought of how many snowy winter mornings he had come though and found his grandparents dancing in the kitchen. He thought of the years as the door knob that he used to have to reach up to turn became one he now reached down to open. God in heaven, it must be lonely in this house.  
  
August's fingers slipped from the door handle and he placed his keys back into his pocket. Hanging his coat back on the rack he pulled a blanket off the back of the sofa and laid down on the couch beside his grandfather's chair. He watched Daniel sleep for a few moments beside the glowing fire before he settled into the cushions on the sofa. He watched the flames dance in shadow and thought of how lonely it must be for his grandfather not to have his wife. He could only imagine that it must be a million fold more difficult than living without Grace.  
  
Though he surprised himself admitting even to himself that it was hard to live without her it surprised him more to see that he didn't want to live to his grandfather's age in regret. He knew he had to take the chance. He had to see Grace. He would be leaving for Australia in a few days and he promised himself as he fell into sleep that he would indeed meet with her. No more regrets. ~o0o~ 


	5. Out of Order

Surfacing  
  
By Adia  
  
(Chapter Five)  
  
"Out of Order"  
  
Grace turned the key in the ignition backward and shut off the engine. Sitting outside the bookstore she slouched in the driver's seat of her car and bit her lip nervously, asking herself as she had a million times that morning, "What am I doing here?" She had tried to force herself to not worry about the possibility of meeting him again until the moment arrived but she had failed. August was offering a signing of his novel at her favorite bookstore in Melbourne from nine to noon, it was nine forty and she was sure that inside the brick façade building sat the one man she could not forget. She glanced down at the flyer in her lap, his next signing wouldn't be until the day after tomorrow and the possibility existed that he might be able to spend some of his free time with her. It made her stomach jump.   
  
Grace knew that he was here, she could feel him, she knew how it felt when he was close, within reach. He was one she didn't have cause or even want, to deny. For him the answer would always be yes and it still hadn't changed. She just worried that his answer would be no and she knew she didn't handle no well with August. All his no's before had been under-toned with yes. What caused her concern now was the thought that no would no longer be a yes in disguise.  
  
She tried to convince herself that she was merely there to attend a book signing of an old friend. She didn't want to set herself up for disappointment in hoping to reconnect with August especially when she didn't even know what his life was like now. She had managed to keep herself from sleep for several hours last night imagining all the changes he might have gone through over the years. She could still freshly remember the cutting feeling of rejection that over took her that afternoon in their classroom after he had been interrogated. She could hardly live with herself that afternoon when he had told her to stay away, that alone was the worst punishment she could ever imagine, and she still could not bear the thought of him saying that to her again. For all the words of his novel that reflected her like a mirror she knew she should feel far more confident, but her doubts nagged, following her everywhere.   
  
In a rush of courage she pushed aside her reservations. Taking a deep breath she reached for the door handle, her hand hovered over it but she hesitated. One thought took her over and crumbled her courage, what if putting all of his residual emotions onto paper had simply absorbed them and they were no more? She glanced at the clock on her radio then to the building and thought better of going inside. Pulling her hesitant hand away from the door handle she deciding to give herself a bit more time. Maybe then she would be more courageous, maybe more comfortable. It would be like stepping into a pool of cool water, one foot at a time, in stages, warming up as she went, adjusting to the newness.   
  
Often Grace found this careful way of approaching a situation to be the best for her. She was reminded of a time with August when she had been nervous like this only more excited, anticipating what the evening held. After her last conversation with him in the car when his eyes had betrayed his words and she was left with a floating feeling of promise. She had held onto that feeling and it was what had gotten her through all the hectic planning of the Gay/Straight Alliance Dance. She could still feel the Spring-like weather as it fluttered around her the late afternoon that she met August and several other members of the GSA dance committee to decorate for the evening. She remembered meeting August at the door of the gym as he unlocked it, they exchanged smiles as greeting. Often times when others were around, such as it was then, Grace preferred a look from him rather than words, it always seemed to say so much more. Seeing him like this with others around always made her self-conscious but somehow he could always ease her and she would nearly forget that there was anyone else around. Perhaps that was all she needed now.  
  
Leaning her head back against the head rest she closed her eyes. Under her eyelids danced the memory of that night and of August offering to help her unload the heavy refreshment boxes from her car as the rest of the committee took to hanging up streamers and a lighted disco ball. He had reached the exit door to the parking lot first and held it three-quarters of the way open for her by standing against it at the jam. She slipped through, leisurely aware of how close their bodies were, and casually brushed against him on her way out. Both pretended not to notice but a feeling of calm reassurance fell over Grace as she walked beside him to her car feeling her secret safe with him, acknowledged and returned in subtle hidden ways as such.   
  
Once they reached the car Grace pulled out two large boxes full of refreshments. August offered to carry the one in her arms and as she handed it over to him his fingers trailed along her hand and for a moment he left his hands to settle on hers. Grace could feel butterflies fluttering through her knowing that his gesture was no accident, she smiled, "Thanks." He met her eyes and waited a moment before whispering, "You're welcome." She could read the expression on his face that seemed to reflect two separate things; their intense attraction to one another and the agonizing knowledge that they shouldn't be doing this. The former being far too difficult to ignore any longer. As another car pulled into the lot a quick glimpse of slight frustration at the interruption flashed across his face as he smoothly claimed the box from her arms. It was as though their glass-bubble-world had just been fractured by the stranger in the blue Jetta.   
  
Inside the gym Grace busied herself with mixing the punch. She brought out a large glass punch bowl and August followed closely behind her with a jug of thick red syrup in one hand and a bottle of 7up in the other. Pouring in the punch August stirred the mixture as she added in the 7up. When she finished August ladled a sample of the carbonated fruit concoction into a clear plastic cup and handing it to her, "Here, how's that?"  
  
Stepping toward him Grace took the cup and put it to her lips. As she began to drink she could feel August's free hand brush past her waist as he reached out to catch the handle of the metal ladle before it fell into the punch bowl. The surprise of it caused her to hastily tilt the cup and she could feel some of the punch roll onto her upper lip. As she pulled the cup away from her mouth she smiled nervously and before having a chance to wipe her lips she blurted out, "It's perfect!"   
  
August raised his free hand and moved in toward her whispering, "Oops, you've got a little on your lip."   
  
Grace's eyes grew in surprise as she stammered out, "Oh." She reached up to wipe her mouth herself but hesitated when she noticed August lifting his own hand. She saw his eyes glance momentarily toward the opposite end of the gymnasium and felt immediately self-conscious. He had never seemed uncomfortable touching her in public, on the shoulders, her arms, her back and sometimes her hands but he had never touched her lips. And that was entirely different, the gesture could be so easily misconstrued. Yet seeing August's concern over other's seeing them simply confirmed that the feeling she was receiving from him was real and not imagined. He would not care who saw him touch her if it didn't mean anything to him.   
  
He dabbed gently with his thumb, removing any trace of red punch from the peak of her upper lip while resting the backs of his fingers on her cheek. Carefully he let the tip of his thumb slide down the soft slope of her lip to the corner where he lingered for an instant and she could hear his breath falling softly as he murmured, "There." He pulled his hand away before Grace had a chance to meet his eyes, as they had been fixed on her lips, and before either of them were able to fully register what they were feeling.  
  
Grace noticed she was still holding the plastic cup and to cover the awkwardness of their forced separation, handed it to August saying, "I think it's pretty good, what do you think?"  
  
August took the cup from her swiftly and took a sip. A crazy thought passed through her mind just then as he tilted the cup and she chided herself for thinking like a lovesick thirteen year old. When she noticed that August had taken a drink from the same spot where her glossed lips had left an imprint she couldn't help but think, the nearly desperate thought, that finally on some level their lips had touched. She hadn't fully realized until then how badly she had been wanting to kiss him since that afternoon in his car. For the most part, it was all she could think about and all she wanted to think about.   
  
Echoing her first judgment of the drink and pronouncing it, "Perfect," August set the cup down on the table and surveyed the gym. After glancing at his wristwatch he turned back to Grace, "Well, it looks like we're just about ready to start."  
  
Grace nodded in agreement, "Yeah."  
  
Within a half an hour the gym was almost a quarter of the way filled with students, which was more than they had first expected considering most students coming to the dance would be those with vested interest in the Gay/Straight Alliance and more than likely not classically heterosexual. In fact, though the purpose of the club was to promote tolerance between heterosexuals and homosexuals, this dance itself was designed more to provide an environment where homosexual and bisexual students felt free to be with whomever they chose without being judged, just as Grace had said at their first meeting. Although when she had first said it she had intended it mostly to impress August, but now, looking out at all the happy people dancing, she really believed it.   
  
Even when the occasional slow song rolled around Grace found herself as a wallflower for lack of straight males but she didn't mind at all. There was really only one person she cared to dance with. Still, there were a couple of times she found herself dancing with one of her gay friends, as his partner had urged her while he went to get something to drink. She knew for the most part that they had been taking pity upon her for being the lone straight girl there but she was having so much fun she hardly noticed and the lack of pressure to impress anyone was incredibly freeing. Even though the theme of the dance did not necessarily apply to her, she wasn't able to openly be with the one she loved and not be judged, she managed to push aside her resentment and enjoy at least being able to spend some time with him no matter how difficult it was to keep her distance.   
  
Grace resigned herself to dancing in a circle with her school friends and watching him from across the room as he stood in the corner near the refreshment table or over by the DJ's booth, holding a cup of punch in one hand, teetering back and fourth on the balls of his feet and snapping his fingers off-beat to the current music. He kept himself busy during the slow songs by chatting it up with Ms. Trent and her long-term girlfriend who had been invited to the dance as chaperones. On the occasional slow song when the couple would take to the dance floor, August would busy himself cleaning up around the refreshment table, monitoring the decorations or even sometimes "hiding" in the kitchen. If it hadn't been for Ms. Trent requesting Prince's Raspberry Beret be played Grace would not have even seen him move. She had to admit it was quite the groovy song and enjoyed him joining the group to dance. She assumed his sudden need to cut a rug arose from this being the only song played that evening the he recognized. She smiled at him from across the circle and he retuned a clumsy smile as Prince's voice rang out, "I think I love her." She could only imagine how he must have been when he was in high school. It was probably around the time this song was at the height of its popularity. His awkwardness had only endeared him to her further knowing that loud dances were not exactly his style, traditionally they weren't hers either, but she had made an exception tonight.   
  
By the end of the evening August began to relax a bit and had inched his way around the gymnasium to where Grace and the circle of students stood dancing. As the clock ticked closer to midnight the DJ announced that these last two slow songs would be the final songs of the evening and to enjoy them. Grace stepped back as she watched all of her friends couple up and begin dancing. She found herself standing along the wall again only this time August was within shouting distance. At first pretending not to have noticed him she finally turned to him and fighting the desperate want of him to ask her to dance, knowing very well that he couldn't, she made small talk, "Looks like everyone's having a good time!"  
  
Shouting to be heard over the music he turned to her enthusiastically, "Yes! I think it's been a success!"   
  
Grace took a small step forward and he followed suit until they no longer had to shout as loudly to converse, "It's so great that everyone was able to have a good time with the people they wanted to be with." She looked away from his eyes, "Well, most everyone." She paused for an awkward moment before shouting a bit too loudly, "It's really… wonderful!"   
  
For a split second the pained look that had flashed across her face registered with him and he dropped his eyes to his shoes and nodded in agreement. August moved a bit closer and picking up on that Grace's heart leapt, thinking that he had finally decided to ask her to dance but instead he motioned toward the refreshment table and said, "Well, you want to come help me get a head start on the clean-up?"   
  
Masking her incredible sinking disappointment Grace faked a smile and followed him across the gymnasium as the speakers belted out the final notes of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me. Grace stacked a pile of paper plates and plastic cups in her arms and carried them into the kitchen with August holding the nearly empty punch bowl right behind her as the beginning notes of Sting's Fields of Gold rang through the room slightly muffled by the kitchen door as it swung closed. After putting the cups back into their plastic bag while August set the bowl on the counter, Grace turned to find him standing in the near dark, looking somehow vulnerable. With his hands stretched out to her he whispered, "Dance with me."   
  
Mystified Grace reached out and took his left hand with her right carefully as he swept down and encircled her waist with his other arm. She rested her arm on his shoulder with her fingertips brushing the hair that fell across the back of his neck. Pulling her close she smiled up at him, "I really think this dance was a success."  
  
August pressed his hand softly to her back and they began to move, "I couldn't have done it without you." Looking into her eyes, Grace admired the way he reserved just the right moment to make that intense connection with her. Sometimes it felt as though he saw something locked inside of her that no one else did, that no one took the time or looked hard enough to see. There wasn't any one thing she could say that he did that made her love him, he hadn't made her do anything, she simply loved him for who he was. His insight, his ability to really see her was something unexpected that had come as an adored addition to the long list of qualities she admired in him as a human being.   
  
At first Grace was caught off guard having only danced with sixteen year old boys, she had never been led before but it was so easy with August as he pulled her into every step and guided her direction. She enjoyed the closeness that dancing afforded them. Being with August made her feel secure in a way that made her not care to think of anything else but enjoying the moment. He was captivating as they began to sway to the sound of Sting's restful voice sifting through the air, "Will you stay with me? Will you be my love, among the fields of barley?"   
  
Grace closed her eyes, letting herself go as she swayed further into his arms and their bodies touched. She didn't care anymore if it was wrong, who was to say what was wrong and what was right? If she loved him, what else could matter more, and if he loved her back then nothing else mattered at all. Feeling herself relax into the security of his arms she kept her eyes closed and inhaled the soft scent of aftershave on his neck. She lifted her eyes to meet his for a moment whispering the excuse, "I'm a little tired… you don't mind, do you?" August didn't have to answer, he just smiled knowing it was an excuse.   
  
Grace rested her head on his shoulder facing his neck and closed her eyes again trying to take in as much of this as she could, storing it in her memory. Before long she felt the soft weight of his cheek brush against the top of her head, hesitating a moment on strands of her lilac scented hair. She could feel his fingers spreading out on her back and for a while Grace thought that perhaps she had been dreaming all this. She worried any minute now she would wake to find herself standing on the edge of the dance floor alone again. Yet realizing it was all real made her so happy she thought maybe she had fallen into heaven instead.   
  
Moving along in small lazy steps to the beauty of the music she could feel the warmth of his body seeping into her own. He was so inviting and his arms were unexpectedly soft as she found herself wrapped in him. Running her hand tentatively down his back and across his shoulder blade, feeling the strong muscles just under the thin cotton of his shirt made her stomach dance. Pressing her cheek against his collarbone and inhaling the sweet scent of him again she fought the urge to brush her lips across his neck. Feeling his hand sweep further down the slope of her back and rest at the base of her spine she could sense the tremble of his muscles and knew somehow that he must be feeling the same. Suddenly it seemed as though the layers that kept them apart were too constrictive and wanting nothing more than to crawl under his clothes Grace was surprised by the strength of her own emotions. She had never thought she would feel this strongly for someone and find this heaven of being in his arms, somehow unsatisfying. Though she would never trade this for the world she found herself wanting so much more.  
  
The heat of his skin melted through the cotton beneath her hands and suddenly she knew that she couldn't fight her feelings for him, she would have to ask him. As the song started to end the thought ran through her mind of finding an evening when they could be alone and she would confess how she had felt for him all this time and then ask him if he would make love to her. She didn't want to spend another moment feeling incomplete, she loved all of him, she wanted all of him. Above her she could hear his breath falling long and quietly in time with the rise and fall of his chest. She could have sworn she felt his heart pounding just as fast as her own but the feel of his lips softly brushing against her hair as he whispered an inaudible sound, drowned out all reason.   
  
As the last of Fields of Gold rang out August slowed the swaying of their bodies until in the silence they stilled. Slowly releasing her, his hands fell from her like honey drizzling from a spoon and she slid from his arms. Her eyes heavy and clouded she smiled up at him in the faint light and thanked him for the dance. Offering a soft smile August closed his eyes a moment, absently placed a hand over his heart and whispered out, "My pleasure."   
  
Grace felt her knees go weak at the sight of his beautiful eyes a darker, deeper, more alive blue than she had ever seen them before and knew if she didn't say something now she would never find the courage to later. Quietly she began, "You know, I've been thinking about Rashomon on Monday night and I was thinking that maybe Lisa and Russell and I should meet over at your place before the movie so we could all go together. So how about six-thirty?"  
  
August smiled as the noise of laughing students filled the air outside the kitchen, "Sounds great." He hesitated a moment, "So, then… Russell and Lisa are coming?"   
  
"Yeah, they both said they wanted to come." Grace rolled her eyes and with an exaggerated twinge of disappointment in others lack of interest in the movie, said, "Apparently everyone else feels they have better things to do." She knew she hadn't asked anyone but Lisa and Russell and had, in fact, only asked them knowing they would be busy that night but she couldn't let August know that. Grace added, "But I'm really looking forward to it."   
  
As if sharing a secret with her August leaned down, giving her a side long look and whispered, "Me too."   
  
Elation shown on her cheeks as she smiled at August then turned to head out of the kitchen. She could not hide how excited she was about going to see Rashomon with him even though she knew she had been somewhat untruthful. Moving toward the door her voice fell quiet, "Thanks again for the dance… I guess I better get out there and help clean up."   
  
"So should I," He held the door open and the two busied themselves cleaning up. Ms. Trent and her girlfriend stayed around to help clean up with the rest of the committee before locking up the gymnasium and saying goodnight. Pulling out of the parking lot and exchanging a goodbye wave with him from her car, Grace couldn't help but think that indeed the dance had been a success, more than she had ever imagined.   
  
Sitting in her car outside the bookstore in Melbourne, looking back on it now, it seemed insane that she was even afraid of seeing him today. Of course he cared about her and even if he didn't still love her at least seeing him again and getting a chance to talk with him would be incredibly healing. When they had parted there was so much left unsaid. Dozens of things she had wanted to tell him, to ask him, to explain, but knew she couldn't. In time she understood why August had been so hesitant and eventually denied her request to share his bed. At first she had thought that perhaps she had misread him this whole time and that he hadn't wanted to share himself with her but as time went on she began to understand that no matter how much he had wanted to, he couldn't. When imagining how intense her grief would have been had they slept together that night then inevitably been forced apart, Grace found herself actually grateful now that he had denied her even when she had wanted him so badly.   
  
Glancing at the bookstore across the street and knowing August was inside Grace began to wonder why in the world she had even been so afraid. This was an opportunity she had dreamt about for years now and she wasn't about to let it pass her. Deep within herself she knew that her feelings for him hadn't changed one bit. Seeing him today, she knew she could hold no expectation and that she would be somewhat gambling. She was risking the beauty of the past that kept her warm in the cold and at the same time risking the possibility of the future that gave her so much hope. Still, August was worth the risk. He had always been worth the risk. With her hand hovering over the door handle in one quick movement she pressed the door open, stood and headed across the street toward the bookstore. Feeling courage covering over her fears, she stepped through the door.   
  
~o0o~ 


	6. Happy Hour

Thanks to everyone who left feedback for their wonderful comments and encouragement! It means a lot to me. A Special Thank You goes out to Aussie GD fan for so graciously being my Melbourne "native consultant" and for all the time and effort she spends helping me make sure the setting of this story is accurate (right down to the bookstore and its owner) and for all her wonderful encouragement! Special thanks also to G/D fan for her ongoing support.   
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Surfacing  
  
By Adia  
  
(Chapter Six)  
  
"Happy Hour"  
  
Climbing out of the shower August wrapped a towel around his waist and ran his fingers through his wet hair. The light filtering through the windows of his hotel room only served as a reminder of how tired and jetlagged he felt from the long flight in from New York. He had hardly gotten any sleep on the flight knowing that his first stop would be the same city where Grace lived. The possibilities that existed could not keep themselves from providing August with a much-needed distraction. Not being a terribly big fan of flying he was more than happy to surrender to any of the daydreams falling through his mind.  
  
While lathering his face to shave, August didn't stop himself from imagining what he would say to Grace if he saw her today. Every line of dialogue that came to him seemed incredibly inadequate so he decided on starting with hello and seeing where it goes from there, if in fact he sees her today. Glancing at the clock he lightly splashed on aftershave and began to dress. The Australian representative of the publisher would be there to pick him up and escort him to the bookstore, Reader's Feast, in twenty minutes.   
  
Adjusting the yellow tie around his neck, August leaned back against the chair in the hotel lobby and waited. He ran his fingers over the silk of his tie remembering the significance of it, which is why he wore it just for this signing. He had been wearing this tie the night that he and Grace had gone to see Rashomon. He smiled reliving that time in his life.   
  
He remembered coming home the night after the Gay/Straight Alliance dance and hardly being able to contain how amazing he felt, it bordered on euphoric and it simultaneously terrified him. It had been years since he had felt this way about anyone in fact when he thought about it he realized that he couldn't remember ever feeling this way.   
  
Lying in bed that night he couldn't get a line from Chekhov out of his mind, it was the only thing that captured how he was feeling. Turning on the lamp on his desk and searching through the book case in his bedroom he came to find the book he had been looking for. Beaten up and antique looking August had owned the collection since he had started college at seventeen. This collection of stories was unlike any other, as he turned the pages each story brought with it memories of how it felt to finally come alive in life, to discover that writing was a passion worth pursuing with all your heart and to find yourself so bursting with energy, feeling capable of anything. It was a beautiful time in life. August couldn't help but notice the similarity between how he felt then and how he felt this evening. He thought of Grace.   
  
He could see it in her, he was watching her come alive and it was amazing. It was wonderful just to be around her and to see her eyes light up when he spoke of great literature. She was incredibly talented and she inspired him in so many ways. In fact, because of Grace he had started to seriously contemplate writing again. Flipping the pages to the beginning of the book and staring at the title of the collection he thought of how hungry he had been then for knowledge and poetry and how exciting it had been to discover life. He could see that in Grace's eyes.   
  
Her eyes were hauntingly beautiful and held so many emotions: happiness, sadness, frustration, enthusiasm, brilliance, surprise, lust, love and everything in between. He flashed on the first time he had met her, she was striking. She had undeniably the loneliest eyes he had ever seen and it genuinely touched his heart. Running his fingers across the cracked binding of the collection sitting on his desk, he thought of how perfect this would be for Grace.   
  
Pulling a pen from the drawer he pressed the inked point to the opening page of the collection and without thinking scrawled what came pouring out of his heart, "To the girl with the loneliest eyes." Then without hesitating he signed, "Love always, August" onto the page. Pulling back from the book and gazing down at it he could hardly believe what he had just written. It was true. Staring at his own declaration on paper he did not regret the permanence of ink. He meant every word. Closing the hard cover on the book his fingers lingered along the edge of the pages a moment before he switched the lamp off and went to sleep.   
  
Lying in bed he thought of how terrified he had been to admit to himself how he felt for her. Even before the play he knew he had feelings for her and he had been running from them from the moment she stepped into his classroom. He saw so much potential in her, that's why he pushed her to be brave in her writing. Still it wasn't until the night of their final performance that he finally accepted why he had been so hard on her. A rush of relief flooded over him when he saw her walk through that door. The loveliest thing he had ever seen was her beautiful face that night with her rain drenched skin. He had been terrified that she would never speak to him again and he couldn't hardly blame her after his behavior. He felt like such a hypocrite. He had been hiding out of a fear of his own emotions and their strength when the whole time he had been criticizing her for not letting her guard down. Truth be told he was still scared of his own feelings and even at times in denial of them. For if he admitted that she was the most intelligent, talented, breath-taking thing he had ever seen then he would be admitting how much he cared for her.   
  
Thinking about how dangerous what they were doing was; he realized he was playing with fire and that his behavior wasn't fair to either of them. Not fair to Grace because she deserved someone who wasn't constantly confusing her and who didn't hide his real feelings. She deserved better than that and he deserved to be able to love her without restraint, without hesitation. He remembered how it had ripped his heart out to see tears in her eyes the afternoon in his car after again denying his feelings for the sake of professional integrity.   
  
It was the most primitive form of torture, having everything he'd ever wanted sitting beside him and not being able to hold her because of the professional line that separated them. Rationally, he understood and respected the line and firmly believed in its purpose. That's why his feelings for her had not only surprised him but terrified him as well. That was also why he found himself struggling so hard. Perhaps that was what alarmed him the most, he felt himself crossing that line and he wasn't sure how to handle it. He wanted to honor the laws but he couldn't deny how he felt. All he knew was that he didn't want anyone to be hurt. He knew just how harsh the world could be, especially a world that didn't believe love could exist. He wanted to protect her from that and the only way he felt he could was to push her away but it had nearly killed him. Watching tears well up in her eyes he could feel a sickening sorrow fill his chest. He softened instantly, not wanting to be responsible for those tears in her eyes and wanting to make things right again.   
  
He knew his actions must confuse her but he didn't know how to explain to her the delicate balance he had been trying to keep. The stupidest part of that was that they both felt the same way for one another. He hated keeping it such a secret, it was eating him alive inside. At first he had thought he could hold in how he felt but steadily he began to understand that his love for her was beyond his control. Tonight's dance was proof of that. He had known better but he couldn't resist, especially after seeing the disappointment in her eyes, a reflection of his own. Reliving the feel of her in his arms August fell into slumber as though it were a blanket of down.  
  
The book stayed on his desk until he found himself standing over it on Monday morning. For the remainder of the weekend he had been debating whether to give her the book. Had his first instinct been the wisest or was he just being selfish to tell her he loved her knowing there was nothing they could do? The more he thought of it the more he hated himself for what he was doing. He felt like such a coward but he didn't want to hurt her. What he feared most was that in continuing like this he would only wind up hurting her more in the end than if he stopped now.   
  
Betraying his heart, he took a long hard look at himself and made the toughest decision of all. He fought back the pain that rushed through him as he came to the conclusion that this was it, he would allow himself this day only and then he would stay away from her for good. It would be best for her though he knew it might just kill him. Thinking to himself, "She deserves so much more," he picked up the book, folded it's cover open and stared at his words. He wondered if being honest with her was the right thing to do. He didn't want live a lie any longer. If nothing else, she needed to know that he loved her. He pressed the book into his satchel and set out for the hardest day of his life.   
  
Handing the book to her, he watched as it slipped from his hands into hers as though he were handing over a piece of himself so suddenly. He felt eyes on him that did not belong to either him nor Grace and it made him self-conscious. Still, he was glad he hand given her the book, he knew she would love the stories as much as he did. He had left that evening up to Grace to coordinate and she had, arranging to meet at his place around six-thirty with Lisa and Russell to see Rashomon. The film was an excellent choice as it followed along with their study of point of view in class. On a more personal level, he looked forward to explaining the nuances of the film to Grace and seeing it impact her work, as it had his years ago.   
  
Just before six-thirty Grace walked through the sliding glass door at the back of his house. When she arrived he couldn't help but notice how dressed up she had gotten for the movie, black leather skirt and a form-fitting sweater in his favorite shade of blue. Turning his focus back to wiping his dishes dry he let her roam his kitchen. It didn't come completely unexpected that Lisa and Russell had cancelled, in fact he suspected that maybe Grace hadn't even asked them, but he certainly didn't mind the idea of watching the film with just her. Biting his lip at the thought, he reminded himself that this was the last time he would allow himself to feel this way and that he would have to start pulling back to his side of the line tonight, not knowing then that the toughest challenge was just moments away.   
  
He would never forget how she looked standing there in his kitchen, so open and sweet staring at him with her tentative eyes as she offered herself to him. She was so stunning he felt himself go entirely weak. He wouldn't deny that he wanted her but not like this. He wanted something more than just one night, he wanted to take his time, he wanted to make memories with her that would last. As far as he was concerned Grace was someone he wanted to share his life with and so he wanted the first time he made love to her to be something they both would never forget. He was sure now that she had read the inscription.  
  
He looked away to hide the rush of overwhelming disappointment that fell over him. He knew he usually masked his emotions with anger or frustration but this was just too painfully raw to disguise. He felt so miserable, having to tell her no, that when he parted his lips he found it difficult to speak. He could still picture her walking toward him with her eyes wide saying that she had given this a lot of thought. Later he would wonder just how much thought she had given to the subject but then, when the words left her mouth as an immediate appeal to his unspoken no, he felt his heart implode. Fighting against himself, he struggled to push aside his want and hold to his self-made promise to do what would be best for her. Taking a shallow stinging breath and fighting to stifle a sigh that would further reveal his disappointment, August summed his courage and spoke. The sound of his voice burned against his own ears as he heard himself whisper, "No." Hoping she understood that it wasn't a matter of not wanting to but rather not being able to, he added, "We can't."   
  
Running his hand over his tie, he couldn't force himself to meet her eyes. He knew he was lying to her, just as he would later that week at their parting when he would tell her that he had been using her, he knew that was a lie as well. August understood what she hadn't, that making love to her then would have only put them in greater emotional danger. The bond created by the union of two people sharing themselves was something so beautiful, he wanted to make sure the moment was perfect. He knew that their connection would then be so strong they wouldn't be satisfied only being secret lovers and not be able to fully express their love in all areas of life and that would only cause them both intense anguish and heartache.  
  
Still, it didn't make saying no any easier, on either of them. He wasn't sure what it had been that compelled him to zip her coat in front of his car but he wanted to somehow reassure her in a way his words hadn't. He had been honest when he said he was honored. He could think of nothing more honorable and he felt so fortunate that she had chosen him to share something that beautiful with her. It was obvious that she felt embarrassed but all he saw was the beauty and strength of the most amazing person he'd ever known and he hoped he had made that evident.   
  
Once at the old theater on the other side of town he bought her ticket to the film, though she offered to pay her own way. He lived up to his word and bought her a large popcorn and she held it on her lap as the film began. He slipped one arm around the back of her seat and snagged a handful popcorn with the other. For not being one it certainly felt like a date, especially when in the tightly crammed seats their legs often touched. He chided himself for his misleading behavior but they both knew it was all they could have right now. On the ride home they discussed the movie and he admired the excitement in Grace's voice over the concept behind the film. Thinking it best to say good night outside, he walked her to her car in the drive. Awkwardly saying goodbye Grace smiled and reached out, without thinking, to straighten his tie. Sliding it through her hand she spoke, "I meant to tell you earlier that I really like your tie, it's my favorite." He thanked her and touching her shoulder affectionately, said good night. He watched her climb into her car and drive away. Standing under a sky full of stars on that cool Spring evening, he felt exceptionally content.   
  
Sitting now in the hotel lobby and staring down at "her favorite tie" he thought of how with Grace nothing had turned out as he had expected. Maybe it was crazy but all he could think about was her. At times he had imagined watching her walk through the door of his house in New York. He saw her laying on the sofa in his living room reading a book. He even pictured them cooking dinner together, reading the morning paper, the most common things in life. But often those daydreams were followed by the terrifying notion of discovering that she had met someone new, more interesting, less complicated, fallen deeply in love and forgotten all about him. He imagined a horrifying life of never knowing, never seeing her again. It was that idea that made all the nervousness he felt about seeing her again worth it. Even if she had moved on at least he would know and not be left wondering his life away, though sometimes he wasn't sure which fate would be worse.   
  
The publishing firm had sent out a town car with the representative and they were shuttled to the bookstore. The Australian Rep, Jonathan, was very friendly and spoke with a mild accent. He introduced August to the owner of Reader's Feast, Mary, and let him get settled into the signing desk. Signings usually made him slightly apprehensive and this was no exception. He sat in the chair as the bookstore's friendly and knowledgeable clerks piled copies of his novel on the stand beside his desk. Another clerk set up a large display in the window of the rustic brick building with a poster of the cover of the novel. On the poster was also a smaller inset photo of August and his name in tall blue letters announcing, "Meet the author." He felt a bit overwhelmed as he looked around the store from his seat trying to get a feel for the layout of the room.   
  
Jonathan rounded the corner with a paper cup of coffee from the break room and a hand full of pens for use in signing. August busied himself by signing a few first editions for the store to sell after he left and another copy for Mary as well. Glancing at his watch his stomach jumped seeing that in three minutes the doors would be swinging wide open to his future. He didn't know how he would survive the day if he didn't see her.   
  
The first hour was tortuous until he forced himself to focus on meeting his readers and genuinely being in the moment, he owed them that. Often when a fan would be standing in front of him, sharing how the novel had touched their lives, August would find his eyes darting past them watch the floor for any sign of her. Knowing he wasn't giving them the attention they deserved, he forced himself to push his thoughts of Grace aside before he started going out of his mind.   
  
~o0o~  
  
Grace could hardly believe what she was doing as her legs carried her across the street toward the bookstore as though they weren't even attached to her body. She couldn't even feel the cold metal of the door handle against her skin or hear the chime of the bell above her as she entered the store. She felt numb with fear. Ducking into the first available aisle she pressed her back to the bookshelf and filled her lungs with several deep breaths. Trying to calm herself, she reassured herself that everything would turn out alright even if he didn't want to see her. Glancing up at the window display in front of her she saw a backward reflection of August on a poster and felt herself calm. She suddenly felt stupid for being so worried, after all wasn't this what she had been waiting for over these last years, a second chance? Well, here it was, staring her right in the face and she had better not let it escape her this time. With that realization Grace summed all the courage she had, straightened, took one final deep breath and turned the corner on the aisle.   
  
Not knowing where he was located, Grace slowly walked along the inner wall of the aisles that faced the North side of the bookstore. She felt more comfortable knowing that this way she could get a feel for where he was. She wasn't quite sure she was ready to make her appearance known just yet. Moving toward the back of the store she could hear his voice gently sift through the air as he thanked a customer. Grace was surprised by her reaction to the sound of his voice and how she had missed it all these years. It stopped her in her tracks and she ducked again into another empty aisle. She could hardly believe he was actually here. She closed her eyes and listened to him as he conversed with a fan remembering how soft his voice felt when he had whispered, "Which doesn't mean I won't miss you." A quiet smile spread across her face as she stood there listening to his voice for a bit longer. Other people browsing the aisle must have thought her crazed to be standing there but she couldn't have cared less.  
  
After a long while Grace again set on her way to the back of the bookstore, following the sound of his voice. The bookstore was unusually full this morning and she couldn't help but think how perfect it would be meeting him here in a place she had grown to love. Though he had never set foot in the store until this morning it had always reminded her of him. Slowing as she reached the back of the store she took a deep breath, steadying herself for seeing him for the first time in years.   
  
Nothing she ever felt before could have been comparable to how it felt when she peeked around the corner of the final aisle of the store to see him sitting at the desk scribbling his signature into a book. It seemed as though she were staring at the finest piece of artwork in existence. Watching his movements as he ran a hand through his hair and seeing his smile again. Grace felt awestruck by his presence as though admiring a genuine van Gogh, the beauty of her very own Starry Night. The sight of him took her breath away.   
  
She couldn't help the warm feeling bubbling up inside of her and spreading through her arms and legs. She hadn't realized just how much she missed him. Missing someone is just like being in love, only painful. His absence had only served as a constant reminder of what she had lost and looking at him now she realized she never wanted to lose that again. She debated on whether to step around the corner and get in line at his desk or to wait until the signing was over and see him then. She glanced at her watch, it would only be another hour or so, she figured she could handle staying here and watching him at least that long and then when everyone left she would have him all to herself.   
  
Grace slipped into a fluffy over-stuffed sofa chair that set against the wall and was hidden by the aisle. From her vantage point she could still see August without him seeing her. Hiding behind a copy of his book and sneaking peeks at him, Grace couldn't help but laugh at herself. It all seemed so surreal. It was hard for her to believe that she was here now in the same room with him. She reminded herself that she would have to thank Judy the next time she spoke to her. What in the world had possessed Judy to send her that flyer she will never really know but she was grateful she had.   
  
Grace could hardly keep her eyes off him. In the occasional lull she would notice him looking around pensively but at one point what really caught her attention were two young women passing by her. Holding their signed copies of the novel one turned to the other and made a comment about how good-looking she thought August was. Grace hid her smile behind the pages of the book and laughed silently at the defensive thought that popped into her mind, "Back off, he's mine." Suddenly she felt like she was back in high school. Grace eavesdropped as the other girl continued saying that she hadn't seen him wearing a ring. Dropping the book to her lap she stared around the corner of the bookcase at August and searched his hands from a distance to see anything. It was true, no ring. This revelation made feel a bit more at ease even though she was aware that some men just didn't wear rings. Still, Grace found herself relieved at the possibility of an open door. Glancing at her watch she saw that in five minutes she would be walking through that very door and hopefully into his life again.   
  
At ten minutes after the hour the last novel had been signed and Jonathan began to clean things up. He remarked to August that the rest of the afternoon was his, the town car would be available to take him back to the hotel and that he would see him the day after tomorrow for their appearance in Williamstown. August stood up from the desk, turned around to face Jonathan and shook his hand. Grace took that moment to make her way over to his desk. He was mid-sentence to Jonathan when he heard her voice.   
  
"Mr. Dimitri?" The sound of her voice made him still instantly and fall silent. He stood there with his back to her, frozen and hardly able to distinguish whether he had actually heard her call him or if he had imagined it out of want. Paralyzed he stood there, after waiting this entire morning he had nearly given up all hope of seeing her today. Over all these years he had been so desperate just to hear her voice again. He couldn't handle being disappointed any more if it only turned out to be an illusion.   
  
His heart raced and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the pleading voice filled his ears again, "Do you have time for one more?"   
  
Slowly he turned, unable to believe his own eyes. His heart leapt from his chest. The most radiant woman he had ever seen stood before him and for once in his life he was speechless. His hands dropped to his sides and a look of utter astonishment was evident on his face. He felt as though he had just been dropped into the middle of the loveliest dream. Only this was real.   
  
It seemed as though the world has stopped spinning when he turned around. Staring into his eyes Grace felt the connection they shared come back to her again instantly and stronger than ever. It was as though all the years had dissolved around them. Without realizing it he whispered her name, barely moving his lips. The sound of her name coming from him was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. She missed him saying her name and looked forward to hearing it again and again.  
  
Stunned, he stood there looking at her with the same expression he used the night he told her she was perfect for her role in the play. With that same smile that bordered between adoration and amazement, he breathed out, "How have you been?"   
  
Taking the smallest step forward and having him return the favor she hardly knew what to say but managed, "Good, and you?"   
  
Moving toward her August further closed the gap between them, "Very well." Both stood staring at one another for a long moment before another voice broke their instant reconnection.   
  
It was Jonathan asking August, "And who might this be?" Moving toward them and extending a hand to Grace, Jonathan joined them, uninvited.   
  
Taking a deep breath August smoothly stepped to Grace's side and introduced her, "This is my," he looked at her pointed and then emphasized the word, "friend, Grace." He saw her smile at his choice of words knowing the cord they struck.   
  
Placing a hand softly on her shoulder and turning to her, he continued, "Grace, this is Jon, my representative from the publishing firm."   
  
Grace shook his hand briefly, "Nice to meet you."  
  
"Likewise," A long awkward silence followed Jonathan's introduction. Picking up on this he started to excuse himself, "Well, like I said, the rest of the day is yours. We'll be in contact with you tomorrow evening to discuss the details of the next signing. I think it went really well today, don't you?" August didn't have to answer, his beaming smile said it all. Jonathan continued, "Okay, well, you have our number. Enjoy Melbourne!" And with that he turned his back and began talking to Mary as the rest of the clerks began disassembling the displays.   
  
Feeling awkward and slightly overwhelmed by the last few minutes August turned his full attention back to Grace, asking, "Can I take you to lunch?"   
  
Her eyes met his and instantly all the same familiar feelings she had carried for him came back to her full force and she felt it difficult to contain her heart from beating out of her chest. She smiled radiantly, "That would be wonderful," then added, "we have a lot to catch up on."   
  
"I agree," August brushed his hand across her shoulder again as they turned and started toward the door. Neither could hardly believe it was happening and somehow it seemed as though the years that separated them were only a moment. To him it felt like a dream, so surreal, to have her so suddenly back in his life. It was so easy to fall right back to where they had been before like a bookmark keeping the page ready to be read. Holding the door open for her as they headed outside into the sun, August asked Grace, "So, what's good to eat here?"   
  
Without answering Grace stared at him for a moment. He was just as beautiful as she had remembered. Feeling her hand brush against his as they started out on the tree-lined street together they both felt a sense of renewed hope. As though they were discovering each other again and yet somehow for the first time.   
  
~o0o~ 


End file.
